Phillis and Fern
by KeataKaylee
Summary: A gender-bent sort of story. Idek :D


Phineas walked down the stairs slowly that morning, still wearing his pyjamas. The day had barely started but he couldn't stay in bed any longer. He sighed heavily and jumped off the bottom stair with a quiet _thump_. The house looked strange when his mother wasn't busying about with chores, or even with his father silently sipping tea whilst reading the paper. Stillness made Phineas feel uneasy, but as Perry brushed up against the back of his legs, he was put at ease.

"Good morning, Perry." he whispered. This was shortly followed by the familiar chatter of the platypus.

Together they walked to the sitting room and opened the door out to the back yard. Again, the stillness was discouraging, but he walked up to his favourite tree nonetheless. Phineas rested the palm of his hand on the bark, just to feel it's existence. It was damp from the morning dew and loose bits of bark stuck to him. He sighed again and looked up at the canopy of leaves. Several had turned brown and were starting to dry up and crack. As he looked on, one broke free and spiralled down, carelessly falling at the boys feet.

Phineas laughed uneasily and turned to his pet, "It doesn't matter, right? Just because summer's over, it doesn't mean I can't make this the best year yet?" he said, dubiously.

Perry turned and walked back inside the house leaving him alone. He sighed and picked up the fallen leaf. He studied it a moment before turning to see Perry return with a blanket.

"Thanks bud." Phineas smiled. Wrapping the blanket around himself, he positioned himself under the tree and snuggled up with the platypus. The blanket kept him dry and warm and, as he examined the leaf, he started to drift back to sleep.

"Phillis?"

"What's she doing out here?! It's freezing!"

"Phillis. Wake up, we've got to go to school. First day back and all."

Phineas heard these voices but he wasn't sure if they came from the television, or some passers by. Then he felt a hand touch his shoulder and gently move him back and forth.

"Phil? C'mon."

Phineas opened his eyes, surely there was some mistake. Before him was a girl and a boy. A girl crouched in front of him, she was the one calling for him to wake up. And a boy, older than the girl, stood behind her with crossed arms.

"Finally you're awake. What were you doing sleeping out here?!" He spoke. He had an obvious tone of annoyance in his voice.

The girl stood up and offered out her hand. But he wanted answers first. "Who are you?" He asked. But his voice sounded funny. It sounded higher than usual.

"Funny. You spend the early hours of the morning under a tree and you forget who we are. I'm going to wait in the car." The boy spoke, noticeably irritated.

"What's _his_ deal?" Phineas asked the girl.

She simply shrugged and pulled a rucksack over her shoulder. She watched him, waiting for something. Phineas stared back and raised an eyebrow, "What?"

"Aren't you going to get ready?"

"Did you call me Phillis?"

She remained silent, confused by the question. She looked older than him. Maybe mid-teens. As for the boy, he looked to be in his twenties. Phineas pushed the blanket off of himself and rose to his feet. He walked into his house and to his room. She followed. Perhaps it was the abnormality of being woken up by strangers under his tree, but he hadn't noticed the changes to his room at first. It wasn't until he opened his wardrobe that he found that his usual orange striped-shirt and blue shorts had been swapped with a pink striped-shirt and a blue skirt. The room was the same, yet different. How could he describe it? It was as if his parents had decorated the room for two girls instead of boys.

"What's wrong?" The girl asked, standing by Ferb's bed. Where _was _Ferb?

"What's your name?" He asked.

She stared at him again, confused by his questions. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head?"

"What's your name?" He asked again.

She hesitated with a look that was more concern than confusion.

"What's. Your. Name?" He persisted.

"Fern! Fern! As it's always been!"

Fern? He didn't know anyone by that name.

"Phil, are you sure you're okay? I can probably tell Cadby that you're too ill for scho-"

"Who's Cadby?! What's going on?!" Phineas was starting to get impatient and scared. Who were these people in his house? Fern lowered her bag to the floor and made slow movements. "Why is my room like this? Where's Ferb? Where's Candace?" Small tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey. Hush, it's okay." Fern used her hands to steady Phineas as you would a horse. "Why don't you sit down, hm? There we go. Would you like some tea?"

Phineas shook his head and rubbed his eyes. "I just want my brother."

"You want me to go and get Cadby?"

"Who? No, no, I want Ferb."

She looked confused again. "Me?"

"No, _Ferb_." It didn't help.

"I'm sorry, I don't know Ferb."

"Then what about my sister?" He asked hpoefully.

Fern kneeled before him, "But, I'm your sister?"

She had to move backwards when Phineas stood up quickly. "No you're not! Candace is!" Something clicked.

The girl said nothing, just looked up at him with big, confused eyes. They did look an awful lot like his brother's.

"Fern? Cadby?" He pondered and sat back on his bed. "Sounds an awful lot like Ferb and Candace, no?"

Fern said nothing but took a deep breath out and retook her previous position.

"This is so strange." He muttered to himself. "This must be a really vivid dream! You're my step-_sister_ and Cadby is my _brother_... so I'm a girl!"

Fern stared on with an odd expression. One that'd accompany a raised eyebrow if she wasn't exhausted of the conversation already.

"Wha'cha waitin' for? We've gotta go to school, right?"


End file.
